Aramina's Journal - Love's Destiny
by keelykelly
Summary: -Sequel for Love's Fate!- A princess comes to the castle begging for help to protect her kingdom against the attacks of a larger one, Louis agrees to marry her due to pressure from the Council. But Corinne isn't convinced that the whole story is true. And they all quickly learn that even after four years, Corinne is still willing to sacrifice her life for her Country and her King.
1. Chapter 1 - Four Years Later

**(I LIIIIIIIVVVVEEEEE! Okay, and now before you folks officially kill me… I AM SO SO SO SO So x infinity, SORRY! I promise I had absolutely positively no intentions of disappearing like that. Especially not for SIX MONTHS! Gah! It has been driving me bonkers not being able to get on here, you can ask my sisters. They hear about it almost every day. But I just completely ran out of time. And now, here's my excuse. I'll start with the whole, my stupid laptop wouldn't cooperate. Literally, I finally got it traded in for a new one two weeks ago! :p Then, my family's been having A LOT of car troubles… I mean a lot. We still haven't made that big move so, still in one place. I also sprained my wrist… yay.**

 **Now, for my biggest excuse… I HAVE A JOB! Woo-hoo. And it's a job writing stories! I'm a ghost writer, which is awesome and also means I can't tell you for whom I am working, but due to computer problems and deadlines, I haven't had much spare time. My old computer literally deleted a whole story that was due in two days. I had to rewrite the WHOLE THING! D:**

 **But, I am back… hopefully. And I am planning on trying to update at least once a week.**

 **I want to apologize again to all my friends and fans ;) I feel terrible. So, please bear with me while I try to work FF in between my work schedual. And I am hoping to start reading and REVIEWING again!**

 **Wow, that was an insanely long A.N.** **I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!**

 **P.s. Sorry for not continuing Another Cinderella Story, but it's been so long that I wasn't really into the flow of it anymore, but I will continue it eventually, Promise! SO, new start, new story.**

 **Laterz!)**

Aramina sighed as she sat down in a chair and opened a large, blank paged book in front of her.

She dipped her quill in the ink the slowly started writing:

 _Well, it's been four years since I last wrote something in a book. It just seems hard to know how to start... or how to finish._

 _Things changed after that day in the throne room when King Louis broke any bond between himself and Corinne and thus breaking my friend's heart._

 _Of course it wasn't too long til Corinne's same old fire and spirit came back... much to our relief. She was still stubborn, head strong and prone to not following orders. But her eyes had lost a bit of their light. They still sparked with determination and flashed when she was angry and danced when she was laughing, but that happy sparkle that had become constant, especially at the mention of the king, was gone._

 _I thought that Louis would finally break and that things would be mended between them but after four years I'm starting to lose hope in that._

 _We quit our jobs as castle maids, and found Helene some replacements of course, because being in the castle where you run into Louis when you turn the corner was just too painful. For all of us._

 _Viveca, Renee and I married out sweethearts nearly two years ago and I am now on the road to starting my own family. Yay!_

 _Corinne, however, never gave her heart to another. Many tried to woo and win her. All failed._

 _The same goes for Louis. Many princesses, Duchesses and Ladies came to the palace over the years, each left disappointed. And each time his advisers were left angry. But he didn't seem to notice or care._

 _Three years ago Treville was wounded in battle, his left leg left paralyzed so that he limps around on a cane nowadays._

 _There wasn't a soul surprised when Corinne became his successor... except for Corinne. I'd never seen her look more shocked then the day Louis announced that she would be taking Treville's place. Okay, I was slightly surprised too. Just slightly._

 _Since then, our horizons have broadened. Us four are no longer just France's Musketeers. We've been all across Europe. We've assisted in Russia and Germany and... well everywhere! But we always return home to Paris. Although sometimes I think Corinne delays our returns as much as possible due to the fact that with the completion of each mission the Captain is to give report to the king. Something I believe Louis forgot about when he deemed her the next captain._

 _Each meeting is kind of awkward. Corinne says what is needed to be said then leaves... most of the time. But occasionally, once in a while they'll look at each other at just the right time and their eyes will meet. Then of course one of them will look away and Corinne quickly bows and retreats from the room._

 _As for all of us, of course we are no longer teenagers and time has changed us... of course for the better._

 _As Viveca put it, "As we matured we became more breathtakingly beautiful." and I believe we did too._

 _We used to turn heads when we rode through town, now we turn more than a few. But everyone in France knows that the three of us are off limits and that no one was going to be getting anywhere with Corinne._

 _And the King's looks leave very little to be desired. He'd gotten a bit taller and stronger and SOOO handsome. *sigh*_

 _But so the story goes, we continue to do our duty to protect France and the King. That one thing has not changed... but just that one._

"Home!" Aramina cried happily as they rode through the gates of Paris "It has been too long!"

"It's been three weeks." Corinne responded "How is that too long?"

"Talk to the riding lard barrel." Renee snickered.

Aramina huffed and patted her ever growing middle "Don't worry Renee, it'll happen to you too."

"Eventually." Renee responded "But it's only been two years!"

"Only!?" Aramina shook her head "Your perspective on time is _way_ warped my friend."

Corinne chuckled "Okay, guys. I think that's enough."

"Ei-yi, Captain." Viveca sent her a teasing salute to which the blond just rolled her eyes.

"Speaking of guys." Aramina suddenly squealed "Look!"

"Perfect timing." Renee said with a smile.

Coming towards them were Aramina's husband, Blond haired, blue eyed, Harvy. Viveca's husband, Black haired, turquoise eyed, Yves and Renee's husband, dark skinned, black haired browned eyed, Terence.

Corinne smiled slightly but said nothing.

"Ah, our leading ladies are home!" Yves called "You were gone so long!"

"Told you." Aramina laughed "And that came from Viveca's husband. Not mine."

"Talk about a lifetime!" Harvy said "It was beginning to feel like forever!"

Renee smirked "But that one _was_ your husband."

Terence sent them a wave "It's good to see you home!"

Corinne pulled her horse to a stop as they reached the boys and the others followed suit "You know we have to make a stop at the castle first."

"Of course." Harvy grinned "But I had to see my wife and son real quick first."

Aramina laughed "Harvy, you know it might be a girl."

"If you're lucky it'll be twins. One of each." Viveca teased.

"Don't even joke!" Aramina gasped.

"Although that _would_ explain why you're so HUGE at only six months." Renee added.

Corinne rolled her eyes "Girls, we _really_ have to get to the castle and get the report over with. We can finish this idle chatter over lunch."

"She's right." Renee said "We'll meet you guys in half an hour."

"Frazoli's?" Yves asked.

"As always." Viveca nodded "We'll see you there."

~*~*~*Love's Destiny*~*~*~

Corinne slid out of her saddle and turned to face the doors of the castle. She sighed quietly as she braced herself for another meeting with the king.

" _It's been four stinking years, Corinne. Get over it!"_ She told herself, but it didn't work. It never did. So she sucked in a deep breath and started up the stairs. As they walked through the doors Treville came to meet them.

"Hello, Girls." he said, leaning on his cane "Everything went well, I trust."

"Yes sir." Corinne nodded "As well to be expected. Is the King in his office or the throne room?"

"Throne room." the man answered "We were just talking."

Corinne sent him a quick nod of thanks then started down the hall.

After his unscheduled retirement, Louis had made Treville an honorary member of the council as a gift for all his years of being a loyal captain. The older man also acted as an adviser much of the time.

Corinne pushed open the doors to the throne room and walked in. She instantly spotted Louis standing by one of the windows peering out at the town "Your Majesty."

He turned at her voice and nodded slightly "How was the mission?"

"Everything went according to plan." she answered "Sort of..."

One of Louis' eyebrows rose "Like usual."

"Yes." a soft laugh escaped Corinne's lips "But everything was _completed_ to satisfaction."

"Good." Louis smiled "Once again, well done... Captain."

She bowed, keeping herself from looking up at him "Thank you, Your Highness." then she straightened up, turned and left the room, her friends close behind.

Louis let out a long sigh as he watched them disappear "Well done... Corinne."

Treville shook his head as he stepped into the room "It's been four years since you parted company with her. Why do you have such a hard time letting her go?"

Louis looked back out the window and watched as the four girls mounted their horses and rode out of the yard

~*~*~*Love's Destiny*~*~*~

"Ah! _Signora_ Musketeer-as and a-Musketeer-as' _Maschi_!" the plump Italian cook exclaimed as the group walked through his door "Welcome-a back to a-Frazoli's!"

"Hi Chef Frazloi." Aramina smiled "It's good to see you too."

"Oh!" The man said jubilantly "You want-a Frazoli's a-spaghetti and a-meat-a-ball-as, Si?"

"NO!" The group exclaimed in unison.

"Oh. Zen-a walk-a thees-a way-a."

Viveca groaned quietly "I still haven't recovered from the _first_ time I ate his spaghetti!"

"Weren't you four?" Corinne asked.

"Yeah." Viveca shook her head "Oi."

Aramina giggled "Don't worry. I haven't recovered either. Only I was ten."

Corinne laughed. The reputation of Frazoli's spaghetti was well known around Paris. Luckily for Corinne, she'd never eaten it. The warning from nearly the whole city had driven any desire to try the stuff far from her mind... although she _was_ curious.

"That stuff does something to your immune system." Renee said as they sat down around a large table.

"Here is your drinks." Frazoli said, sitting down the glasses of tea "On-a-ly ze best-a for ze fe-a-male-a musketeer-as. Be-a right-a back-a with your-a orders." then he was gone.

"It's a wonder we always come here after every mission." Aramina said "We're treated like royalty!" as soon as the last word was out of her mouth she gasped then clamped her mouth shut and snuck a glance over at Corinne who simply smiled.

"So!" Yves said quickly "How _was_ the mission?"

"Fine." Renee answered "Of course there were the setbacks and unplanned happenstances, but we still got the job done."

"Like always." Terence smiled, giving her a one armed hug.

"Did any of you get hurt?" Harvy asked.

The table fell quiet as the four girls looked at each other then all simultaneously picked up their glasses of tea and took a sip.

Harvy glanced at the other two then all three crossed their arms.

"Who?" Terence asked.

"Wasn't me!" Aramina said immediately, holding her hands up in surrender.

"I just sprained my ankle." Renee added "But that was about two weeks ago." then she blushed slightly "I fell in a covered well."

Corinne laughed into her glass as she took another sip.

"I thought that was _Corinne's_ job to fall in the holes." Harvy said.

"It normally is. She just allowed me the pleasure." Renee responded "Literally, she said 'After you'. We took two steps, I fell in and she fell in right behind me."

"And you've got nothing to show for it?" Yves asked.

Corinne shrugged "It was just a seven foot well... with a foot of water in the bottom."

Terence started to say something but Frazoli showed up just then sitting their plates down on the table "Your a-regular-a. And here is-a some-a-thing-a new-a for-a you to-a try-a." he sat a platter of bread sticks in the middle of the table that were covered in a white sauce and cheese.

"Thank you." they echoed then they each grabbed one.

"It has-a my es-special-a a-sauce-a."

They all froze mid-bite then slowly returned the bread to its platter.

"How nice of you." Aramina smiled sheepishly.

"Anything-a for my-a favorite-a musketeer-as." then Frazoli left them alone.

"Special sauce?" Harvy whispered "What do you think is special about it?"

"Taste it and find out." Renee said "But you can't _pay_ me to do it! Because his spaghetti 'is-a his-a special-a recipe'."

A round of laughs came from the table then they ate their dinner while talking about this and that.

About halfway through the meal, Harvy put his arm around his wife's shoulders "So how is my son?"

"Or daughter." Aramina corrected "Be honest. Will you be disappointed if it _is_ a girl?"

"Of course not!" Harvy quickly kissed her cheek "I don't care _what_ it is. Boy or girl... or boy. I'll be proud as a peacock."

"But not as proud as we are of our girls." Yves said, putting his arm around Viveca "We're the luckiest men alive!"

Terence took the cue and followed suit "I do believe we are." then he gave Renee a quick kiss on the forehead.

"Hard to believe it's already been two years." Viveca sighed, leaning into Yves.

"I know, right!" Aramina grinned "Best years of my life."

Corinne wiped her mouth with a napkin then stood up from the table "I'll see you later." then she walked away.

"Well... almost the best years of our lives." Viveca said with a slight shake of her head.

Renee shrugged "There's nothing we can do about it. Louis made the decision."

"I know." Aramina said sadly "But I'd give anything just to see her truly happy again."

~*~*~*Love's Destiny*~*~*~

Corinne walked up a tall set of stairs to a porch that circled the outside of Frazoli's restaurant. The whole building stood six stories tall. The first two floors were the restaurant, bottom floor for casual meals the second was fancy dining. The third and forth floors were rented apartments and the fifth and sixth were Frazoli's home. Between his famous restaurant and his rooms for rent, Frazoli was one of the richest men in Paris, and also one of the most generous.

The porch circled the sixth floor and was Corinne's favorite place to escape when her friends and their husbands started being more... lovey.

It wasn't that she wasn't happy for her friends being with the love of their lives, because she was. More than anything. But seeing them so happy and... together, still left a pain deep in her heart. A pain that constantly reminded her of how close she'd come to being that happy. Being _with_ that one person that made your heart sing.

She leaned against the railing of the porch that faced the castle "So close." she whispered into the wind.

Just then a set of doors to a balcony on the castle opened and Louis stepped out and walked over to the railing.

He looked around for a little bit til his gaze settled in her direction. Then, almost reluctantly, he lifted a hand and sent her a small wave.

She glanced around quickly before realizing that she was the _only_ person he could possibly be waving at. She slowly waved back.

"How did he see me?" she wondered. The castle was nearly a mile away from the restaurant. Then she looked at the brown wall behind her and realized that he must have seen her pink dress and knew it was her. She looked back at the castle... the king. And even across the distance their eyes met, but only for a moment before he turned and went back inside.

She sighed and resumed her position against the railing "So... so close."


	2. Chapter 2 - An Unwanted Decision

_As musketeers, people are constantly asking for help. Coming to you with their problems and sometimes demanding an answer or solution. Some days, it's hard to decide what is right and what is your duty. We all have an urgent side of us to want to help everyone. We want to be the ones that they can look at and say "I know they'll help me". But there does come a time, or you have to realize that not everything is your responsibility._

 _It's not always your chore to step forward and take control. To reach out a helping hand, or promise to do whatever you can to assist._

 _Some people, have to learn that the hard way. Some, it takes longer than others. And some just never learn. But it is difficult to determine who needs to help and who to leave alone._

 _I never thought that I would reach a place that I would want to turn someone begging for help away. But it came. And despite the guilt gnawing at me. I wanted nothing more than to send this newcomer… Running. And yes, it was for my own selfish reasons as well as a lingering wish that was starting to fade quicker and quicker with each passing day._

~*~*~*Love's Destiny*~*~*~

"good morning, mother," Corinne greeted, as she twisted her long hair up into a ponytail.

Marie smiled over her shoulder. "Good morning."

Two years ago, Marie had decided to sell the farm and move to the city, claiming that the farm was getting too much for her to handle on her own.

Although Corinne hated the thought of giving up the farm, she was more than happy to have her mother nearby.

"So, do you have a busy day plan today?" Marie asked, setting up late down on the table. "Make sure you eat."

"No, just some training." She picked up a biscuit and smiled. "But then again, things always seem to happen."

Marie smiled as she took her place and folded her hands on her the table. "Do you enjoy being the captain?"

Corinne nodded. "I really do! It's… Like a dream come true for me. It's just…"

"It's not easy being around the King," Marie finished. She crossed her arms on the table and sent her daughter an enquiring stare. "Honey, what _did_ happen?"

Corinne swallowed a sigh and slowly shook her head. "He just… didn't trust me." She stared down at the table, tracing the grain of the wood with her finger. "And I didn't even know that he… that I was…" She released a huff of air. "It's so complicated, Mama." Her dropped her face into her hands. "All I know is that somehow… I ruined everything."

~*~*~*Love's Destiny*~*~*~

"But Sire, we insist!" Havier Dupan called as he trailed after the king, the other members of the council following.

Louis rolled his eyes, not sure why he was smiling, and responded. "Insist? Why doesn't that ever work for me?"

"Your Majesty, this could be a step in the right direction! Just imagine the possibilities! The entertainment, the income, the defence-"

Louis' smile instantly vanished as he whipped around to face the group. "No. I _refuse_ to use it as an instrument of war. My hot air balloon and its designs are staying locked away where they belong."

"But, Your Majesty-"

"That is final!"

"Alright… but about using it as entertainment!"

Louis threw his hands into the air. "Why do I bother?" He spun around and continued towards the throne room, blocking out the overlapping voices behind him. "One of these days there's not going to be a council. But I can guarantee they'll vote out _that_ thought." He put on a little more speed, mentally smiling at the huffing of the older men trying to keep up. _Hmm… I wonder what would happen if I started to run-_ But his thought was cut short as he rounded a corner and ran smack dab into someone, whom after slamming into him, went flailing backwards with a gasp. He didn't have time to see who it was before he jumped forward, his hand wrapping around her waist as he yanked her back forward and a second later, she slammed into his chest. Then he saw it… ice blue eyes framed by silky, white blond locks. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from embarrassment as she stared at him, apparently still in shock over what had occurred in a matter of seconds.

The hallway became deadly silent as she stared up at him. The sight of his deep brown eyes causing her heart to skip a beat. _When did he get so tall?_ She couldn't help but wonder. Even in her heels, her head barely came to his chin. But somehow, he had caught her on her toes, which brought them face to face…

It wasn't til just then that she realized how close they were standing. How close they had been standing for several seconds now… How long it had been they'd beem that close.

She suddenly blinked and looked off to the side, catching a glimpse of the oh-too interested council standing behind him. "Uh…"

That seemed to snap him out of his trance and he instantly released her. "Are… are you alright?"

"Uh… yeah. Of course." She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and nodded. "I'm fine." She bit her lip for a second. "I should… be going."

As she turned to hurry away, Louis called after her, "Wait. Weren't you going this way?" He asked, motioning over his shoulder.

She blinked a couple of times and her eyes widened. "Oh! I uh… was actually looking for you."

"You were?"

She nodded. "There's someone in the throne room waiting for you. And she seems rather distraught."

He frowned. "Who?"

She simply shrugged. "She wouldn't. But she's… a mess."

"What kind of a mess?"

"An emotional, makeup mess."

He released a deep groan. "Emotional women."

She shrugged again and led the way down the hall. "It's part of the job, Your Highness."

He gave a start, but said nothing. After four years, you'd think he'd be used to the formalities coming from her. But every time she called him 'Your Highness' or 'Your Majesty'… it felt wrong. And it cut deep inside his heart. Shaking off the feeling, walked into the throne room, and despite Corinne's warning, was completely unprepared for what met him.

"Oh! King Louis!" A voice shrieked, and the next thing he knew, someone's arms were wrapped around him. "Oh! I need help!"

"Gah…" He held his arms up by his head as he looked back at the council for help. "Can… I help you?"

"I hope so!" She sobbed for several seconds as the council pulled her away. "I… I need your help. I didn't know where else I could go!"

He nodded ever so slightly. "First, who are you?"

"Oh…" She straightened up, sucking in a deep breath in attempt to calm herself. "I am Princess June of Galathia."

"How can I help?" He was vaguely aware of Corinne walking over to look out a window, although she kept an eye on the Princess.

She took another breath. "I'm sure you've heard of the clan that's been calling themselves the Roaming Lions."

Louis looked back at the council confused, but they just mirrored his reaction. Even Treville seemed clueless.

June stared at them for a long moment before sighing. "Oh dear. I don't know how to-"

"King Mordeu was removed from his throne a little over a year ago for being a tyrant and stealing from his people," Corinne said suddenly, not turning from the window. "Angry, he formed a clan, which he named the Roaming Lions and attacked his own home, bringing it to ruin." She glanced over her shoulder. "Since then, he and his clan have been circling the outside borders of France, destroying small kingdoms and claiming the land. Those who go against him are destroyed. His army just keeps getting bigger, but it's mainly formed out of fear."

An eerie silence hung in the air as everyone stared at her in shock.

"How do you know this?" Treville asked slowly.

She shrugged. "I know what happens in and around France."

Louis shook his head. "Why wasn't I told of this?"

"Because, until they enter France, it's none of your concern."

The snap back caught Louis off guard and he quickly turned his attention back to June. "How can I help you?"

She wrung her hands together. "I… I received an letter from Mordeu. He… he said he was coming after my home next and… I know I don't have a large enough army to stand against him."

"Are you wanting me to send some of my soldiers?"

"Your Majesty!" Havier Dupan said quickly. "You cannot simply lend your soldiers. If other small kingdoms heard of that, they may become angry that did not do the same for them."

Louis frowned. _Why don't I like the tone of his voice?_ "Then what are you suggesting?"

"The only right way to do this… is to form an alliance."

Corinne couldn't stop herself from spinning around to stare at them.

Louis drew himself up to his full height. "There has to be another way."

Dupan shook his head. "No, Sire. And if you go through with this alliance, it will open the door for you to help the other kingdoms."

"Why can't I-"

"I will explain later." Dupan waved his hands in the air then lowered his voice. "Your Majesty, she came asking for help. It's not often that another royal will lower themselves down to beg, which tells you that she's desperate. If you turn her away… Your own people will rebel against you. I don't see much of a choice here."

Louis quickly turned to Treville, silently begging for help, but the old man shrugged his shoulders.

"I wish I could say he was wrong but… if word does reach the city that you turned her away… the results are unpredictable. The choice is yours, Your Highness."

He didn't know why and he didn't know how his gaze slid over to where Corinne was still standing by the window. The look on her face was unreadable, but there was something in her eyes. Something that resembled the last lights of day disappearing below the horizon, leaving the world cold and dark. A slow sigh escaped her lips as she turned her back to him to stare out the window.

He rubbed his forehead, wishing more than anything that the pounding headache that had recently made itself at home there would go away. "Okay." As the word left his mouth, Corinne's shoulders dropped. Then she turned and walked from the room.

 **(Ei-yi-yi! SO much for once a week! SOOO sorry for the delay… again! I still haven't had time to read anything. I am trying desperately to get there. But currently, I am WAY behind on a job assignment! :-O**

 **Thank you for all the Reviews! You guys are still the best! Makes this lackey Author very happy!**

 **Laterz!)**


	3. Chapter 3 - Things Get Crazy

"So, who was the princess and what did she want?" Renee asked as Corinne stepped out onto the training grounds.

Corinne rolled her eyes and left the questioned unanswered as she clapped her hands to gain the attention of the musketeer force. "Attention! Everyone!" The men all instantly turned to face her. "We… have a new guest in the castle. Although, I believe she's going to be her permanently."

Aramina frowned in confusion as she stepped up to Corinne. "Permanently?"

Corinne simply nodded. "The king is getting married to Princess June of Galathia."

"What!?" The other three girls echoed.

Corinne just raised her hand to silence them. "More details will come out. But there will need to be extra guards now. I'll fill you all in on the details as the need arises." She pointed to four or the men. "I want two of you outside her bedroom door and the other two outside her bedroom window. Everyone else, go on as before unless informed otherwise."

As the men all dispersed, the girls ran to their friend.

"Four guards set to one room?" Renee asked incredulously. "Who are you trying to keep out?"

The smallest hint of a smile came to Corinne's face. "It's necessarily who I'm keeping out. It's who I'm keeping in." She watched from the corner of her eye as the four men entered the castle. "I want to know _everywhere_ that girl goes."

"Why?" Viveca asked slowly.

Corinne shrugged. "We shall see, now won't we?" With that, she walked away.

Aramina frowned. "Okaaaay. That was odd, right?"

"Oh yes," The other two agreed in unison.

Viveca shook her head. "The last time she was this close lipped about something, half the musketeer force was sent on 'vacation' to an old country home. And _then_ we found out that there was something illegal going on there. Did we ever figure out how she knew that?"

"Nope," Renee answered. "And I've always been too afraid to ask."

Laughter interrupted their conversation and they spun around to see Corinne standing two feet behind them. "You guys know I never left, right?"

"Of course!" Aramina said quickly while the others laughed nervously. "We were just kidding."

~*~*~*Love's Destiny*~*~*~

"Are you sure about this, Your Highness?" Treville asked quietly.

Louis released a deep breath. "When have I been sure of anything lately?"

"I have a feeling that you unsureness is due to a certain musketeer. Who just happens to be the captain."

Louis shook his head too quickly. "No."

"Are you sure?"

"There hasn't been anything between Corinne and me in a long time."

"That doesn't mean that you don't wish that there was."

Before Louis could think of a response, June walked into the room and smiled. "Hi. I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

Louis shook his head, but he could swear he heard Treville mutter, "More than you know."

"Everything's fine," Louis said quickly. "Can I help you?"

June shook her head quickly. "Oh, no. I… just wanted to say thank you again for… allowing me to ruin your life."

Louis chuckled. "No problem. Was there anything else?"

She clasped her hands behind her back. "Well… actually there was. I was wondering if… since we're going to be… married, if, maybe we could… get to know each other a little more? Maybe take a walk?"

"Oh. Sure." Louis glanced at the large clock that was in the room. "Yeah, I've got some time. How about the gardens?"

June released a tremendous breath of air. "The garden sounds lovely."

"If anyone shows up, mainly Dupain, tell him I'm busy," Louis called to the former captain. "Please."

Treville nodded. "Yes, Sir."

~*~*~*Love's Destiny*~*~*~

Corinne leaned her chin into her hand as she tapped her pen aimlessly against a piece of paper, paying no mind to the black spatters of ink that all but coated the page.

"Hi," Aramina said quietly, stepping into the Captain's Office. "How's it going?"

Corinne sighed. "Oh, you know. Paperwork." She shook her head. "Now I know why the King always complained about it."

"Speaking of the King, he and the Princess are taking a walk in the garden."

"Mm-hm. I know."

Aramina frowned and looked around, seeing no one anywhere near. "How?"

Corinne smiled and waggled her eyebrows. "Like I've said before, I know everything that happens in France. Especially if it's in Paris."

"You are an odd character."

"Thank you." She straightened up and stretched her arms above her head, eyeing Aramina's huge stomach. "Shouldn't you be resting? I thought your like charges were active today."

Aramain's frown deepened. " _Charge._ There's no plural. No charges. Just one. Singular. Uno. Un."

Corinne laughed. "I get it. You should still be resting while you can. You never know when things will get crazy."

The red head eyed her friend for a long moment. "Do you have any suspicions of when things might break lose?"

Corinne just nudged her towards a bed that sat in the corner. "Get some rest, Aramina."

"I'll take that as a warning." She hurried over to the bed and laid down, sighing happily as Corinne flipped a blanket over her. "Wake me up when things go crazy."

Corinne chuckled and headed for the door. "Don't worry. You'll know."

~*~*~*Love's Destiny*~*~*~

"I love Paris already," June sighed. "It's so… peaceful."

Louis smiled. "Well, I think we have the musketeers to thank for that. Without them… this place would be chaotic."

"You really respect the musketeers, don't you?"

"I do. They deserve it." He looked up at the sky. "They've saved my life so many times…" He suddenly looked towards the terrace as he caught sight of something pink, instantly recognizing Corinne leaning against the railing, her gaze staring far into the distance. _How long has she been there?_

June followed his gaze. "That's the captain, right?"

He nodded. "She is."

"Would you mind if I ask why a _girl_ became a captain? Not that I have anything against girls but… why a captain?"

A small smile lit his face, his eyes never leaving the girl on the terrace. "Because, she deserved it and everyone knew it."

June frowned ever so slightly as she looked from the king to the captain and back again. _Am I missing something?_

He seemed to suddenly remember that the princess was there and quickly turned to her. "Where were we?" He motioned towards the path they were currently walking on.

"Well… speaking of captains and musketeers, my captain should be here later today. Then we can talk strategy."

Louis nodded. "Sounds… good." They walked in silence for several minutes till they were further back in the garden. He glanced over his shoulder, a ghost of a smile came to his face as he spotted the blond musketeer still in her spot on the terrace. He remembered that she used to stand up there for hours, just staring into the horizon. They shared many thoughts, hopes and dreams up there. And up in the sky. An ache formed in the pit of his chest as memories of their many balloon rides together flooded his mind. He had rebuilt the machine after it had been destroyed in the forest fire four years ago but… he'd never taken it up again. When they had parted ways, all of the sudden, flying seemed like a senseless pastime.

"Are you alright?" June asked quietly.

Louis snapped out of his thoughts. "Uh… yes. Everything's fine. I'm just… thinking, that's all. I hope we can help your kingdom."

She smiled up at him gently. "You already have." She suddenly frowned as somewhere nearby, a branch snapped. "D-did you hear that?"

Louis nodded. "It may have been an animal…"

Just then, a large man emerged, a sinister grin on his face. "I heard that a little princess fled her nest."

Louis instinctively stepped in front of the girl who appeared frozen in horror. "Who are you?" He demanded.

He threw back his head and laughed. "I have no dealings with you, Boy." He pulled out his sword and pointed it at them. "My business is with the princess."

Louis frowned. "Who. Are. You?"

June sucked in a shaky breath. "T-that's… Mordeu."

Louis stiffened instantly as the man laughed again, stepping forward, the tip of his sword coming closer and closer.

"That's right. Now, all you have to do is cooperate and-" He was suddenly cut off as a figure slid between his sword and Louis.

Blue eyes flashed against the otherwise seemingly calm face. A sword was gripping tightly in her hand. Her stance was daring as well as threatening. She paid no mind to the tip of the man's sword that was less than a foot away.

Louis blinked in surprise. _How did she get here so fast?_

Mordue snapped out of his shock a moment later and a deep growl slipped from his lips. "Step aside, _Girl._ "

Corinne shook her head, her icy eyes never leaving the man before her. "I have no authority to stand between you and the princess," she said calmly. "But when my King stands between you and her that's all the authority I need." She frowned, her eyebrows lowering into a deathly glare. "You threaten my King… your fight is now with _me._ "

 **(I AM still alive people! Sorry it's been several weeks…** _ **again!**_ **I am** _ **still**_ **working on that job assignment that I'm running a bit behind on. But hopefully, I will have that completed in a few days and be able to return to my Pleasure Writing. :D And READING! I miss reading )you guys stories SOOOO much! Hopefully, that will change shortly. Thanks for staying patient with me!**

 **And, as for the person who asked about Chad Dailey… Hmmm… we shall see. ;)**

 **Ah, I love making Corinne just** _ **know**_ **things. I don't know why. I'm crazy probably! :D**

 **Well, laterz peoplez!**

 **Thanks for the F-F &Rs!)**


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